The Unusual Side

We all know Kobe as being the man with ice water in his veins, the player that wants to rip your heart out, and wants the ball down 1 with seconds to play.

Kobe wasn’t nervous when he was just 18 years old shooting potential game winners for the Lakers as a rookie. Even after air balling a few, he never got nervous or anxious, he just kept shooting.

When Shaq left town, most people would be nervous, it was now Kobe’s team and all praise and criticism would rest on his shoulders, yet nothing, cool as the other side of the pillow.

Kobe is always cool, calm, and collective. Nothing ever worries him; he lets nothing get in his head, and always is up for the challenge. Showing the world that I have been here before, and I have no problem taking the final shot, have no problem being the guy everybody will criticize if the team does bad, and have no problem being boo’ed in Game 1 of the season because I asked to be traded.

However, Tuesday at 2:30PM Pacific Time, Kobe was nervous.

For the first time as a diehard Kobe fan, I saw him anxious, edgy, and even frightened.

Kobe didn’t realize that people were going to ask him questions at a news conference; Stu Lantz had to reiterate that to him. Kobe accepted the MVP and then awkwardly walked away.

Come on Kobe this isn’t the academy awards, this is a press conference; all those reporters out there are there to ask you questions!

So, Stu told Kobe, “the reporters are going to ask you questions”, and then KB24 walked right passed the mic, asking, “Where do I stand?”

Then he finally was directed to the podium, with his hands on each side, tapping his fingers rapidly.

Then the words we have never heard came out, “I’ve never been here before, I’m nervous”

That may not be a shock to some Lakers fans, but it is to me. Kobe Bryant, nervous?

A man that always answers questions perfectly, with intelligence and etiquette, A man that is always all business. Actually had no idea how to act, the man that has ice water in his veins, didn’t know how to accept the MVP.

The reason, was because it was the one thing Kobe had no control over. No matter how hard he worked or how much he wanted it, there was no guarantee that he would ever win a MVP.

Although Kobe will not say it publicly, Kobe Bryant wants to be known as the best basketball player to ever play. Yet, there’s no way he could ever be considered for that title, if he never won an MVP.

MJ, Bird, Magic, Wilt, Kareem, Dr. J…Yup, all MVP’s at one point.

Well Kobe is now in that class, and when it’s all said and done, Kobe can now potentially be known as the greatest player that has ever played the game.

The first time he was nervous??? i find it hard to believe that. There was one other time in his life which he had little control and his very freedom was at stake. This is nothing compared to that.

king.manu

i watched the conference and at first i did not know what to do. laugh or be confused. the usually cool and relaxed kobe nervous. if you look at the press conference back than, we he told everybody we was going to the nba we had sunglases on his head and joked around and now 12 years later he did not know where to stand?? it shows th human, yes kobe is human, side of kobe, a side that everybody loves i guess.
congratulations kobe you are a real and worthy mvp!!

e-bucher

lol to ab4sure

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[Comment ID #35096 Will Be Quoted Here]

I thought the article was beautiful and all so true, until I read your comment. That invalidated the entire article … well, mostly. That’s very true though.

heffajoint

I think he was just emotional and didn’t want to show it. Congrats Kobe! Congrats Lakers! Now let’s go out and keep winning!

http://www.myspace.com/dbricks DBricks

When Kobe admitted that he indeed did commit Adultry, I saw an emotional, ashamed person. Expressing his sorrow, and embarresment. I did not see a nervous person, he still said what he needed to say, in a professional and real fashion.

Kobe for the first time in his professional career, was indeed nervous and out of sync at the MVP conference. That is what suprised me. King.manu said it best with him entering the NBA with oakleys on his head, and smiling for the cameras. Kobe has always played it cool, and always knew what to say

With admitting adultry he expressed his sorrow. In no way did he ever come out and look scared like his career is over, or hes afraid hes going to jail. I never saw that during that time in Kobes life. I feel this is the one true time where kobe was jittery and really didnt know what to say, and that is why it is indeed a rare glimpse of KB24

David

I love Kobe, but I feel that when he talks he’s being so fake. You guys notice that with his demeanor and his laugh or is it just me??

http://www.vertigo-go.com Terry Kim

i see what you’re saying but i don’t think he’s being fake. I think he has answers rehearsed and he’s very good at ducking questions he doesn’t want to answer so I think that makes him appear fake at times. I think his problem is that as much as he may want to be like MJ and LeBron (basically ultra marketable robots) he can’t help being real, hence his explosion this offseason and the Shaq drama. Have you heard Kobe’s rap songs? That’s Kobe being fake.

e

everyone here seems like they know kobe on a personal basis…i say we keep the over analysis out of this and take the article for what it is

http://deleted Mr. Juan / Your Warlock

I can’t agree with you more ‘e” well said and capped.

ab4sure

Dbricks, He could not show he was nervous when he was in the battle for his life four years ago, but you can bet he was. Actually, by kobe saying he was nervous was in a way kobe letting down his guard which was nice to see. He really seems to have matured both on and off the court.

Keep Odom

ab4sure,

You hit it right on the head by saying he let down “his guard”. Kobe has been known to not let anyone in his personal life. But of course that was as a really really young rookie.

But, I also think that after ALL the criticism that he has endured made the MVP experience more of of an emotional experience for him. Basically, we all saw the human side of him which he never lets anyone outside his personal circle see. And at the same time he was humbled by the whole experience.

DCLAKER

Stop worrying this man’s personal life and let’s celebrate what he has accomplished since joining the Lakers.Shaq didn’t win those rings by himself,ya’know.

STOPHATIN’THELAKERS.com,If they put us in Kobe’s position NONE OF US would be able to handle it.

http://www.myspace.com/dbricks DBricks

[Comment ID #35173 Will Be Quoted Here]

Exactly ab, that is what I was trying to say, the first itme we have seen kobe in fact let his “guard down”…that was the whole point of the article, it was def a diffrent side of Kobe!

http://lakers.topbuzz.com Mamba2410

Hey guys, I just saw on ESPN that the Knicks had just outlined a 5-year deal with Mike D’Antoni! Wierd, huh?

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With the Lakers off to a poor start, trade rumors have begun to swirl around Kobe Bryant, leading many to speculate if he'll leave for greener pastures. Kobe puts those rumors to rest in his interview with Yahoo Sports.

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With the Lakers off to a poor start, trade rumors have begun to swirl around Kobe Bryant, leading many to speculate if he'll leave for greener pastures. Kobe puts those rumors to rest in his interview with Yahoo Sports.